


Kang Daniel's Adventures in Love

by burnintoash (funnymorning)



Series: The Terrible Day Chronicles [2]
Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 03:53:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11774922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnymorning/pseuds/burnintoash
Summary: Kang Daniel falls in love on a Monday, right in the middle of the library, with a boy whose first conversation to him was about toilet rolls and discounted soju. Everything kind of goes downhill from there.Daniel's POV for 'Ha Sungwoon and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day'





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you again for reading and commenting and leaving kudos on the first one. I'm glad to see there are people actually reading it given that we have a skeletal crew here on this ship, but I am glad you all did.
> 
> Anyway, someone commented what would Sungwoon be like when drunk after the first one, so I thought about it and it just grew from there.

Daniel’s life is mostly full of constants.

 

He always hates rainy days. His mum’s beef stew is gonna be the best thing he had ever and would ever taste. He is never going to get an A+ in any of his classes but he’d never go under a B. And people like him.

 

Not in a Kang Daniel’s harem kind of way where everyone he met is falling in love with him, but you know, people think he is an ok dude to hang with and to invite to their parties and to gladly add him to their project groups, etc. Daniel likes to think it is just his actions being reciprocated because he likes people, he likes being among company and they like him back.

 

So, Daniel is not sure what to think when Ha Sungwoon acts like he is tolerating Daniel at best, or downright ignoring him at worst.

 

Daniel gets that there is some unspoken rivalry between his Dance Department and the Music Department. He has been in various sports teams throughout high school – he gets team pride and petty enmity. But as most of these rivalries tend to go, it is just snide remarks and childish bouts, nothing really serious or hurtful. Even Jaehwan, who had flat out called them all sorts of deformed animals to their face, never has this kind of aloof and distant aura. Aggressive? Yes, at times. Cold? Never. That is only Ha Sungwoon, and mostly only to Daniel. It is as if he dislikes Daniel as a person and not as part of the collectiveness that is the Dance Department.

 

Daniel did not even notice Ha Sungwoon at first. He saw Sungwoon a couple of times when he was over at Taehyun’s place and Taehyun introduced him as one of his housemates. Daniel teased Taehyun about housing with music majors, and how Taehyun must have found a similarly-sized dude so that he can get over his inferiority complex from always hanging out with dudes that are 178 cm and above. And that’s that. He just knows Sungwoon as Taehyun’s housemate, and nothing more. It also doesn’t help that Daniel is usually over at Taehyun’s place for a couple of times a week but somehow rarely manages to run into Sungwoon, who, unlike Jaehwan who likes to deliberately hang around the house to annoy them, disappeared like the wind once Daniel and the gang are there.

 

It is almost like Sungwoon cannot stand being in the same room as Daniel, and in the rare occasion that he is forced to, he just looks … awkward and uncomfortable.

 

So, Daniel comes to the only conclusion he thinks is logical.

 

Ha Sungwoon must like him.

 

Yeah, it sounds weird when he lays it out like that, but it has to be some sort of pigtail pulling shit going on here, right? Just, instead of the pigtails being pulled, it is the silent treatments and sullen looks and curt acknowledgments.

 

It has happened a couple of times before. Back in high school with some girls where they would fluster and act awkward around him and try to avoid him before everything comes crashing down and Daniel is left with wasted love confessions and broken hearts.

 

“Hypothetically speaking,” Daniel says to Seongwoo during lunch one day. “What should I do if someone likes me and I don’t like them back, but at the same time, I don’t want to break their heart because it’d be awkward among our circle of friends?”

 

“Do you like me Daniel?” Seongwoo asks.

 

“How did you even reach that conclusion from what I said?” Daniel blinks.

 

“Well,” Seongwoo shrugs. “You don’t seem like the type to ask for romantic advice.”

 

Daniel sighs. “No, I do not like you. And I am the one being liked in this scenario.”

 

“Do you … think I like you?”

 

“No, I don’t!” Daniel says exasperatingly, “You are no part of this hypothetical situation.”

 

“Ok, as long as we are clear on that.” Seongwoo nods and Daniel sighs again. “So, this hypothetical person. How close are you with her? Him?”

 

“Not close at all.”

 

“Okkk…” Seongwoo trails off. “When did they confess? What did they say?”

 

“They haven’t.”

 

Seongwoo narrows his eyes at him. “Then, what is the problem here, my dude? If you are not close to them and they hadn’t confessed to you, what are you even worrying about?”

 

He has a point. “Well, I just want to be prepared if they do.” He replies.

 

“Cross that bridge when it comes to it.” Seongwoo says wisely. “How do you even know they like you if they hadn’t said anything?”

 

“Gut feeling?” Daniel shrugs.

 

“That’s probably just the firey buffalo wings from last night you are feeling in your guts.” Seongwoo says and reaches over to pat Daniel in the tummy. “Stop worrying about your secret admirer club. Have some sympathy for us single loners.”

 

Daniel doesn’t remind him that Seongwoo is literally eating a meal bought for him by a senior girl from the Theatre Department with her infamous longstanding crush on Seongwoo.

 

“Yeah, well,” Daniel says instead. “I hope he … they, just never, you know, bring it up.”

 

* * *

 

 

Sungwoon never does bring up anything around Daniel. He is barely even around Daniel. So, Daniel just relaxes and enjoys his time shooting 3D characters and playing cards (and badly losing) at Taehyun’s place. The dorms are tiny anyway and his neighbor is a dick.

 

“Daniel.”

 

“Erm,” Daniel says dumbly and points at himself. “Me?”

 

This is probably the first time Sungwoon has ever said his name and Daniel is suddenly on guard, sitting straight on the sofa and brushing the crumbs from the cookie he has been munching off of his chest.

 

Sungwoon gives him a look that says _“Who else but you”_

“Did you change the toilet paper?” Sungwoon asks, which to be honest, is not something Daniel thinks Sungwoon would say as part of their first real conversation.

 

“Err. Yeah, I did. Just now. Why?”

 

Taehyun said last week that Sungwoon has been bitching because Daniel and Eunki do not replace the toilet paper after the rolls ran out. So, Daniel has been mindful today and change into a new one when the old roll ran out earlier.

 

Sungwoon sighs, and Daniel knows Sungwoon is already compact-sized, but the way he is wearing a loose shirt that almost swallows him whole, with pants so short it’d be considered a violation of school rules if high school girls wear skirts that length – it makes him look as tiny as a 5 year old dressed in hand-me-downs from his teenage brother.

 

“Can you please put it forward instead of backward, next time?” Sungwoon asks.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Put it over the holder. Not under it.” Sungwoon explains, and wow, really? This is the important topic that brings the anti social Ha Sungwoon in front of Daniel?

 

If it was Jaehwan, Daniel would have already told him that putting the toilet paper over or under won’t remove the stick up his ass but for some reason, he cannot seem to snark back at Sungwoon. Maybe it is because he doesn’t want to be too harsh to Sungwoon in case, you know, Daniel accidentally breaks his heart or something. Or maybe it is just because Sungwoon standing there with hands on his hips in his oversized clothes just look … cute to him.

 

“Alright,” Daniel replies. “Sorry. I’ll put it over next time.”

 

Sungwoon blinks, almost in surprise. “Erm.. Fine then. Where’s Taehyun?”

 

“Booze run.” Daniel hitches his thumb over his shoulder and says. “We’re gonna play monopoly and you take a shot every time you go to jail. You wanna join?”

 

“No, thanks.” Sungwoon winces his nose and says, and yes, that is definitely cute. Daniel is man enough to admit that. “Enjoy killing your livers on a Tuesday.”

 

“You get two for one soju from the corner store if you buy on Tuesdays.” Daniel says with a giggle and Sungwoon rolls his eyes before disappearing into his room.

 

So yeah, first real conversation with Ha Sungwoon and it is about toilet paper and soju discounts.

 

Daniel does remember to put the toilet paper over the holder the next time though.

 

* * *

 

It is like Ha Sungwoon is suddenly popping up everywhere in Daniel’s life. Logically speaking, Daniel knows that he’d see Sungwoon around since they go to the same school, eat at the same places, and Daniel is over at his place most of the times. But, previously, Sungwoon was just there, a bystander, no more than an afterthought, but now, it is like Sungwoon is in high definition resolution hovering over Daniel’s eyes all the time.

 

Like now. He is in the library and he just walked past the Music Major corner. It is not really their corner but one or two of the music majors are always hogging the corner with the best view of the campus – a good corner that Daniel and other dance majors had tried and failed to seize it.

 

Anyway, Sungwoon is sitting there with a couple of people Daniel knows by face, but not by name. They do not acknowledge each other or say hi, as usual, but even as Daniel gets himself a seat a couple of tables away from Sungwoon, it is like he can still feel Sungwoon in his proximity. And maybe that is why he chose a seat with a direct sight line to Sungwoon.

 

Sungwoon is sitting in front of him at about 30 degree left so he cannot really see Daniel, but Daniel can still see his side profile clearly from the way the sunlight through the window is shining on his face. And Daniel is not blind – he has always known Sungwoon has a handsome face but just – not this handsome.

 

Sungwoon is trying to sneak a couple of McDonalds fries from his bag into his mouth, as sneakily as he can because the library does not allow food inside, giggling every time he passes a handful of fries to his friend sitting in front of him with a face that looks like he is dealing drugs instead of fries.

 

Daniel shakes his head, wondering why he is even _looking_ , and tries to focus on the report he is supposed to be writing, but he cannot focus. His gaze ends up on Sungwoon, who, this time around, is struggling to open a chili packet, which, yes, Daniel should have seen it coming, opened up with such a force that it ends up splattering across Sungwoon’s laptop on the table.

 

Sungwoon stares, wide eyed, at his laptop, now decorated with blobs of chili all across the screen, and sighs before putting his hands over his face. Daniel thought he was crying for a split second from his shaking shoulders before Sungwoon pulls his hands down and reveals a laughing face – something Daniel has never seen Sungwoon did in front of him, and it is, for the lack of a better word, beautiful. The way he is laughing so care-freely even though his friend in front is trying to shush him. The way his head is held back so the sunlight could directly hits and emphasizes his lean neck under that side profile and the strands of soft hair on the nape of his neck, and wow. Yes Ok. Wow.

 

This is what it feels like to have a crush, huh?

 

* * *

 

Kang Daniel falls in love on a Monday, right in the middle of the library, with a boy whose first conversation to him was about toilet rolls and discounted soju.

 

And everything kind of goes downhill from there.

 

* * *

 

“Pizza. My love. Oh my precious pizza.” Taehyun cries out as soon as he opens the door and Seongwoo greets him with pizza boxes in his arm.

 

“Thank you, Seongwoo.” Seongwoo says in a flat tone. “I am very grateful you carry all these boxes across three blocks, Seongwoo.”

 

“Only because you didn’t want to carry the soda bottles.” Daniel snorts from behind him and knees him lightly in the butt. “Go in. My hands are about to fall off.”

 

“My lovely meat galore bearing juniors.” Taehyun sings and sniffs at one of the pizza boxes Seongwoo puts down on the table. “Have I recently told you I love you?”

 

“No, and I’d rather you don’t. Ever.” Seongwoo yells back, going into the kitchen to presumably wash his greasy hands.

 

“Yo, lunch?” Taehyun ignores Seongwoo, and asks a Sungwoon who trips his way out of his room. Daniel suddenly busies himself with one of the soda bottles he was carrying. Sungwoon is not even looking at him but Daniel is holding his breath for some reason.

 

He hasn’t been to Taehyun’s place since that godforsaken day in the library when the realization hit him like a spaceship travelling at light speed and he was left reeling. But Daniel has never been the kind of person to sit and ponder – he takes things as it comes and tries his best to deal with it – and if he is suddenly, for reasons unknown, crushing on Sungwoon, then well, he will deal with it. Once he stops getting rattled in front of Sungwoon, that is.

 

“No, I’m late for work.” Sungwoon shakes his head, which has hair sticking up in different directions. Daniel has the sudden urge to lean forward and run his fingers through it. “My alarm didn’t go off. I need to run.”

 

“At least put something on that magpie nest head of yours,” Taehyun says and Sungwoon groans before running back into his room and coming back out with a beanie on.

 

“And eat this one on the go.” Taehyun pushes a pizza slice into Sungwoon’s mouth who fumbles in protest before finally getting a hold of it with one hand, and uses the other free hand to put on his sneakers before running out of the front door.

 

“I don’t know how that one manages to live two plus decades,” Taehyun sighs. “Why are you rubbing your hands all over the bottle, Daniel?”

 

Daniel fumbles and takes his hand off of the soda bottle he has been manhandling for the past few minutes. “Erm. Sprite?”

 

“Me. I want Sprite.” Seongwoo pushes a cup in front of him, and Daniel thankfully busies himself with the drink. “You know, Taehyun hyung, you act a lot like Ha Sungwoon’s mum for someone who keeps talking shit about him behind his back.”

 

“You take that back.” Taehyun points at Seongwoo and says. “That’s the worst thing anyone has ever said to me.”

 

“Where does he work?” Daniel interrupts to ask in what hopefully comes across as a casual tone.

 

“Some fancy upscale restaurant. Why?” Taehyun raises an eyebrow.

 

“Nothing,” Daniel shrugs. “Just … wondering. He never really hangs out with us, you know.”

 

“That’d be because he hate us.” Taehyun answers offhandedly.

 

“He lives with you.”

 

“Yeah, you are right.” Taehyun nods in agreement. “He just hates you.”

 

“I didn’t do anything!” Daniel protests, and sadly bites at his own pizza.

 

“Yeah, it’s just him.” Taehyun shrugs. “Why do you care anyway?”

 

“He has a need to be liked by everyone.” Seongwoo pipes in. “It’s like one of those large dogs who barks and humps at every passerby and gets sad when they don’t pet him.”

 

“Fuck off.” Daniel kicks at Seongwoo’s chair and grunts. “Does he really hate me though? I mean us?”

 

“I ask again. Why do you care?” Taehyun narrows his eyes. “Actually, let me change the question. Why do you care now? The other day as well. You made Woojin mop the entire living room because Sungwoon said it was sticky. It’s not like you ever cared about whatever that kid was bitching about.”

 

“I just want to get along with him,” Daniel grunts.

 

“Jisung hyung told me the other day that you asked Ha Sungwoon’s number from him.” Seongwoo drops the fucking bomb, and Taehyun chokes on his soda.

 

Daniel is going to bury Jisung alive. He thought Jisung would be the last person to betray him like this. And how long has Seongwoo been sitting on this information before he can bring it up at the right timing to bring down Daniel?

 

“It was for emergency!” Daniel protests. “What if something happens to Taehyun hyung and we need to contact him?”

 

“Uh-huh. That’s what he told me as well,” Seongwoo nods. “Which none of us buy.”

 

“Is that why Jaehwan told me that he kept seeing your face around his classes as well?” Taehyun pipes in. “Daniel, bro, no.”

 

“Are you crushing on the tiny terror?”

 

“The what now?” Taehyun asks.

 

“The tiny terror.” Seongwoo answers back. “Tiny Terror 1.” He hooks his thumb over his shoulder towards Sungwoon’s room. “Tiny Terror 2” He points at Taehyun.

 

“Call me tiny anything again and I’ll show you how _tiny_ my foot can be when it is up your ass.” Taehyun threatens.

 

Seongwoo gives a mock shiver. “Anyway, Daniel, my dude, are you really crushing on that guy?”

 

“Man, that’s not gonna end well.” Taehyun comments.

 

“Why not?” Daniel blurts out. “I am a completely decent person with relatively good looks and nice personality. Is he not into guys?”

 

“That’s as good as a confirmation, right?” Seongwoo asks Taehyun, who doesn’t answer.

 

“It’s not about you being a dude or a nice person or whatever, dude.” Taehyun says to Daniel instead. “It’s about Sungwoon, and he is kind of stubborn once he decides on something and right now that something is him not liking you. I’m not saying it to be a dick. I am just laying down the cards so you don’t fall too far.”

 

“Oh,” Daniel deflates. He did think that maybe he thought wrongly about Sungwoon liking him first but he must have had some hopes because the hallow feeling in his guts is sudden and awful.

 

“Don’t look like that, bro.” Seongwoo says. “C’mon. Half the school has a crush on you. You can literally hold an audition and shoot a Korean version of The Bachelor here. Should I introduce you to this guy from ...”

 

“My heart is not a survival show,” Daniel cuts him off.

 

“Oh god, he is gone.” Taehyun mumbles.

 

“Whatever. I like him, so what?” Daniel declares. “He’s an adult and so am I. There is nothing wrong with it and whatever is the reason he might not like me for, I’ll get it cleared up if I can. And if I can’t and he doesn’t like me back, I’ll deal with it.”

 

“That was very manly. And cliché.” Seongwoo nods and holds up his cup. “Whatever. Here’s to weird-ass loves and fucking crushes.”

 

“Fucking crushes.” Daniel mumbles and knocks his cup against Seongwoo’s.

 

“And good luck.” Taehyun says and joins his cup in.

 

Good luck indeed.

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m gonna tell Sungwoon that I like him.” Daniel says. “Tonight.”

 

“Hmm.” Seongwoo mutters, not moving from where he is standing in front of the mirror and gelling his hair up carefully. “I think our first aid kit is expired. Let me buy one first in case he punches you in the face or pushes you in front of a car.”

 

“Knock it off,” Daniel slaps him in the back of the head and immediately regrets it when his hand comes back off with gel slathered all over it. “Are you going to put the whole bottle on your tiny head?”

 

“It’s not easy looking this good,” Seongwoo answers distractedly. “Anyway, Ha Sungwoon. What are you gonna say to him? _Yo, I know you kinda hate me but I kinda love you and my heart sings every time you scowl at me_?”

 

“You are a poet,” Daniel snorts. “I’ll just … I don’t know, freestyle something.”

 

“So, you have no idea what to say.” Seongwoo raises an eyebrow.

 

“I have no idea what to say.” Daniel sighs. All he has is resolution and hope to run into Sungwoon at Color Night later because Daniel is sick of this sitting and twiddling his thumbs. Are crushes always this exhausting? Yes, he has dated people before but he has never had this kind of a one-sided – hopefully not one sided for the sake of his sanity – crush on someone and all the doubting and uncertainty and he-likes-me-he-likes-me-not mind games are fucking him up.

 

Daniel is never good with being complicated. Maybe Daniel was right and Sungwoon actually likes him. Or maybe Taehyun was right and Sungwoon cannot stand him. But whatever the outcome maybe, it has to better than this vagueness.

 

“I’ll just go with the flow. That might make it more sincere, you know.” Daniel says.

 

“All the best, man.” Seongwoo puts out a fist and says sincerely. Daniel just wordlessly bumps at it.

 

* * *

 

 

Color Night is a mess as it usually is. A couple hundred 20-somethings let loose with cheap booze in an enclosed campus never turns out well for anyone involved but that is part of the fun, Daniel guesses. Even if the ‘fun’ consists of Jisung and him queuing up for the probably tasteless hotdog at the only food truck on campus for the past half hour.

 

“Taehyun said they are walking over here.” Jisung reads a message off of his phone and says.

 

“Ok.” Daniel pushes his hands into his jean pockets and bounces a little. “Is Sungwoon with them?”

 

“Why would I ask him that?” Jisung snorts. “I am not the one with a heart boner for him.”

 

“Stop calling it a heart boner.” Daniel snorts. “I hope he is there. It’d be a bitch to find someone in this crowd.”

 

“I don’t know how Sungwoon has yet to notice your big fat crush on him.” Jisung shakes his head and says. “You are like the human embodiment of the heart eyed emoji every time you are around him.”

 

Daniel just shrugs back. Maybe Sungwoon truly is oblivious or pretending to be oblivious but whatever, he is all ready to confess tonight and he is going to do it no matter what.

 

Except when Taehyun arrives with Sungwoon and Gunhee in tow, Sungwoon is clinging to Taehyun, eyes half closed and smelling like he mistook a soju bottle for cologne.

 

“It is not even 10 PM!” Jisung exclaims, unsuccessfully trying to help Taehyun in getting Sungwoon upright.

 

“We might have,” Taehyun grimaces as Sungwoon shoves his head further into his neck. “… wildly overestimated his drinking capacity.”

 

“We were just trying to get him to loosen up.” Gunhee slurs his words, looking only about a shade and a half better than Sungwoon.

 

“Can we get him sit down for a while?” Taehyun says and tries to push Sungwoon off of him. “My back is about to snap, god.”

 

“Here,” Daniel rushes forward and helps to take Sungwoon off of Taehyun before both of them topple over on the sidewalk. “Shit, how much did he drink?”

 

“3 or 4 shots?” Gunhee shrugs. “Maybe 6. I wasn’t counting.”

 

“I got to take him home first.” Taehyun shakes his sweat off and says. “Fuck. I left that Russian exchange chick right at the beer pong table because of him. I am gonna murder him but only when he is sober so he can feel the pain.”

 

“I can take him home.” Daniel volunteers. His main purpose tonight was to talk to Sungwoon anyway, a purpose which unfortunately has been dead and buried six feet underground now. He might as well make sure Sungwoon is back home and then enjoy the rest of the night later.

 

“Are you sure?” Gunhee says. “Sungwoon hyung’s kind of clingy when he is drunk.”

 

“Somehow, I don’t think Daniel would mind.” Taehyun snorts and when Gunhee turns to him with a puzzled expression, he just shakes his head and nods at Daniel. “I’ll get you a cab.”

 

* * *

 

 

“At least he’s already puked everything probably including his own stomach so he won’t be throwing up all over you in the car.” Taehyun reassures as their Uber pulls up and Daniel pushes Sungwoon into the backseat.

 

“Good to know.” Daniel laughs and crawls along into the backseat after Sungwoon. “I’ll come back afterwards.”

 

Taehyun just raises a hand at him. “If you don’t see me, it means I have scored the Russian chick so you’d better hope you don’t see me.”

 

Daniel laughs. “All the best, bro.”

 

Sungwoon mumbles something incoherent from besides him as Taehyun helps them to shut the car door and leaves.

 

“Can I roll the window down?” Daniel asks the driver and leans over Sungwoon to roll the window on his side down. Hopefully the fresh air will help him sober up a little bit. Sungwoon says something unintelligible next to his ear that Daniel doesn’t quite catch, probably just some drunk rumbling.

 

Sungwoon’s place is not that far of a drive from the campus but because of the school festival, the roads are jammed and Daniel cannot do anything but leans back and sits silently as Sungwoon moves and murmurs next to him and the car moves at a snail’s pace. This really was not how Daniel imagined he would be spending the night with Sungwoon. So much for his grand confession tonight.

 

“Hmmmm,” Sungwoon groans and suddenly lifts his head of the car seat, eyes blinking open. He turns his head left and right, eyes unfocused until they eventually settle down on Daniel. “Hello?”

 

Daniel sits upright. “Erm. Hey? You good?”

 

Sungwoon doesn’t answer but keeps staring at Daniel. Daniel is starting to wonder if Sungwoon has already miraculously sobered up before Sungwoon forms a perfect ‘O’ with his mouth and slurs, “Oh, it’s you. Dan Kaniel.”

 

Yeah. Definitely not sobered up.

 

“I’ll get you home soon.” Daniel says anyway, and pushes at Sungwoon’s forehead gently so he can lie his head back down. But Sungwoon doesn’t stay still and instead leans across to lay his head on Daniel’s shoulder, and Daniel would be lying if he says it doesn’t make his heart skip a beat. Sungwoon moves his whole body, probably finding a comfortable position before he finds his place in the crook of Daniel’s neck.

 

Daniel debates where to put his arm for about 10 seconds before eventually settling them across Sungwoon’s shoulders. He is not taking advantage of a drunk Sungwoon, ok? Just, his arm is kind of dying smashed between Sungwoon’s back and the car seat so it makes sense to just put it there. And it is not his fault that Sungwoon is a perfect fit to his side.

 

Sungwoon suddenly sits up and Daniel immediately retracts his hand, but Sungwoon stays up, staring at Daniel for a while before slapping him in the shoulder.

 

“Ow. What?” Daniel rubs at his shoulder in shock and asks.

 

“Your shoulders are too wide,” Sungwoon slurs his words so Daniel has to lean in a little closer to understand them. “Seriously, it would fit like…” he stops and runs his hands across Daniel’s shoulders and collarbones. “It would fit like a whole three of me. Why are they so wide?”

 

“Erm. I don’t think they are that ..” Daniel starts but Sungwoon shushes him.

 

“Everything about you is so big. Why? Why are you so big for?” Sungwoon says and Daniel wants to ask how would Sungwoon know if Daniel’s _everything_ is big but he doubts Sungwoon will get the innuendo.

 

“God, you are so annoying. You and your shoulders and your face.” Sungwoon groans and flops back dramatically onto the car seat.

 

“Erm. Ok?” Daniel says, wondering if Sungwoon has passed out again since he has his eyes closed but Sungwoon got up back again after a couple of silent beats.

 

“Do you know what annoys me so much?” He asks.

 

“… Me?” Daniel takes a guess.

 

“Pineapples on pizza.” Sungwoon says with a solemn face. “Pineapple is a fruit, David.”

 

“Daniel,” Daniel corrects him but Sungwoon neither hears nor cares.

 

“It is a fruit. Do you know why it is a fruit? Because you have to peel it to eat it.”

 

“Hard-boiled egg.” Daniel interrupts. “Also, onions.”

 

“Shut the fuck.” Sungwoon points at him. “Pineapple is a fruit. Is it not?”

 

Daniel laughs to himself. “Yes, it is a fruit.”

 

“Exactly.” Sungwoon snaps his fingers, failing to make a sound. “And fruits do not belong on pizza. That should have been like Newton’s third law or something. Fruits and pizza? No, sir. Those things do not go together.”

 

“Ok, ok.” Daniel says, putting his hands on Sungwoon’s shoulders to stop him from going further into one tiny man’s crusade against Hawaiian pizza. “I’ll make sure not to bring any Hawaiian pizza around you.”

 

“You are a good man, Damien.” Sungwoon nods and goes silent for a whole minute before piping up again. “Do you know what annoys me?”

 

“Hawaiian pizza.” Daniel sighs.

 

“No, you.” Sungwoon says instead. “Your face and your nose and also, why are you always smiling and laughing like …” Sungwoon gives a mock hehehe that probably is supposed to imitate Daniel’s laugh. “It bothers me so much.”

 

“Gee. Thanks.” Daniel says. “I’ll make sure not to smile or laugh around you.”

 

“Good,” Sungwoon nods enthusiastically. “Because if you do, I am gonna shut this,” Sungwoon reaches forward to pat Daniel awkwardly on the mouth. “This mouth. With my mouth.”

 

What?

 

“What?” Daniel says intelligently. Sungwoon just blinks at him. “Are you saying you are gonna kiss me?”

 

Sungwoon wrinkles his nose. “Nooooo…. I am not saying I’ll kiss you.”

 

Well, that’s disappointing.

 

“I am saying I want to kiss you.”

 

No. Never mind.

 

The driver in the front seat raises an eyebrow as his eyes meet Daniel in the back view mirror, and Daniel immediately jumps to damage control mode.

 

“He’s just drunk. He’s saying whatever.”

 

“No. I. Am. Not.” Sungwoon says, emphasizing each word with a slap on Daniel’s thigh. “Why? Don’t you want to kiss me?”

 

“Errmmm.” Daniel mumbles. He would have never thought that he’d be hesitant to answer this question from Sungwoon.

 

“Do you want …” Sungwoon leans forward and asks but the car comes to a stop and Daniel barely catches Sungwoon from falling over and hitting his head on the car window, so he doesn’t get to hear what Daniel should be wanting to do.

 

“This is the address, right?” The driver asks and Daniel looks out of the car window to see that they have arrived at Sungwoon’s apartment complex. Apparently, luck has such impeccable timing.

 

“Yeah, thanks.” Daniel says, pulling a still mumbling Sungwoon out of the car, not really understanding what he is muttering since he is too busy making sure Sungwoon doesn’t topple over onto the sidewalk while paying the driver at the same time.

 

“C’mon,” Daniel all but drags Sungwoon into the lift and down the corridor right to his door. Sungwoon is luckily capable of putting one foot in front of the other, but Daniel’s right arm is going to be left with an imprint with the way Sungwoon keeps rubbing his face into it.

 

“Shit. Where are your keys?” Daniel says, stopping right in front of the locked door. “You have them, right?”

 

Sungwoon just blinks up blearily at him.

 

Daniel sighs and pats Sungwoon down. Jesus, how is he even breathing in jeans this tight?

 

“Ya!” Sungwoon yells as Daniel unthinkingly shoves his hand down the back pocket of Sungwoon’s jeans. “Stop groping me.”

 

“I am not!” Daniel protests as his hand comes back up empty except for Sungwoon’s wallet. “Where are your keys?”

 

“You,” Sungwoon slaps him lightly on the chest before looping his arms around Daniel’s neck. “won’t kiss me back, but your hands are all over my ass? I didn’t know you were this kind of guy, Dennis.”

 

Daniel blinks, holding a sudden Sungwoon right in front of him. “I…”

 

“I am a good kisser,” Sungwoon whines. “I mean, I haven’t kissed like a lot of people but you know, I’ve had no complaint.”

 

“Yeah, ok.” Daniel cannot help but laugh. Maybe it is partly because the situation is ridiculous but also because he truly is happy. This is not how he was hoping the night to turn out but he cannot complain at the way things are going right now.

 

“Seriously,” Sungwoon says, stumbling a little from side to side. “Look at my lips.”

 

Daniel doesn’t tell him that he has been doing exactly that for weeks. “C’mon,” he says instead, shaking Sungwoon a little by the waist. “Keys?”

 

Sungwoon sighs, freeing himself from Daniel’s hold. Daniel kind of regrets it a little. “Here,” Sungwoon announces, turning around and knocking on the electrical riser compartment on the wall.

 

“That’s… the riser.” Daniel says.

 

Sungwoon turns and gives him stink eyes. “Idiot.” He mutters before pulling the riser door open. Daniel wants to protest but Sungwoon hits himself in the face with the riser door so he feels like he doesn’t need to.

 

“Ow,” Sungwoon groans a little, rubbing at his chin where the door hits him and reaches inside the riser to get a set of keys sitting on top of the meter box.

 

“That is … not dangerous at all.” Daniel comments and takes the key.

 

“Precaution for getting drunk.” Sungwoon raises a finger and says, swaying from side to side and blinking rapidly as if to prove that he is indeed drunk. “I think I am gonna puke again.”

 

Daniel sighs, quickly unlocking the door and pushing Sungwoon inside the house. Sungwoon runs straight to the bathroom while Daniel tries to find the key to Sungwoon’s bedroom door and listens to Sungwoon dry heaving from inside the bathroom.

 

“What are you doing?” Daniel sighs as he finally manages to open Sungwoon’s bedroom door and goes to find Sungwoon only to discover him laying on the bathroom floor with his hands under his head.

 

“Cool.” Sungwoon mumbles. “Here”

 

“Alright,” Daniel grunts and pulls Sungwoon up, half carrying him into the bed and onto the bed. Sungwoon is all but passed out, soft snores coming out from his slightly open mouth.

 

Daniel sighs, sweeping up Sungwoon’s sweat stuck bangs from his forehead. “Next time I am sitting on your bed, you’d better be awake and sober.” He mutters and leaves Sungwoon to sleep after putting a glass of water and an Advil bottle he found in the bathroom cabinet onto Sungwoon’s bedside table.

 

It is not even midnight but Daniel doesn’t feel like going back to school to party. He just decides to walk back to the dorms, the night air hitting him as Sungwoon’s face and voice rings around in his head.

 

Sungwoon likes him. Sungwoon wants Daniel to kiss him, and it feels like there was an unknown weight sitting on Daniel’s chest that Daniel himself was not aware of and Sungwoon just comes and pushes it off.

 

Sungwoon likes him.

 

And that is all that matters right now.

 

* * *

 

 

Seongwoo must have come back to the dorm pretty late because Daniel went to sleep quite late last night and he wasn’t there, but when Daniel wakes up, Seongwoo is crouching on his bed on the other side of the room, head clutched within his hands.

 

“How bad is it?” Daniel stretches and asks.

 

“Worse than the last time we went clubbing, but not as bad as my birthday.” Seongwoo groans and flops back onto the bed, hissing when his head hits the pillow.

 

“You will live.” Daniel says.

 

“Yes, and ain’t that a burden.” Seongwoo says, hands stretched dramatically and Daniel just snorts, pulling his extra pillow closer to his chest.

 

“Where did you disappear to last night?” Seongwoo asks. “Don’t tell me you already did the dirties with your dude.”

 

Daniel snorts. “I fucking wish.”

 

Seongwoo turns his face towards him. “So? Did you confess or not? What did he say?”

 

Daniel runs his fingers through his hair. “I think he likes me.”

 

“You think?” Seongwoo raises an eyebrow. “How?”

 

“He…” Daniel starts but stops himself. He doesn’t feel like exposing last night’s Sungwoon to anyone – it feels like it is something private between Sungwoon and him, something only he knows about Sungwoon. “I just do.”

 

“Do you know you have like stars in your eyes right now?” Seongwoo comments. “God, I hope I never fall in love if it means I become as gross as you.”

 

“Shut up,” Daniel says and throws his pillow at Seongwoo. It hits him square in the head and Seongwoo yells out a painful _OW_.

 

“I have a headache the size of Busan, dude. Can you not?” Seongwoo groans.

 

Daniel kind of feels bad. “Want me to go and buy you some hangover soup?”

 

“God please.” Seongwoo moans into his pillow.

 

* * *

 

 

Daniel drops off Seongwoo’s bean sprout soup before heading over to Sungwoon’s place with the extra soup he got.

 

What would he even say to Sungwoon? He doubts Sungwoon would bring up the fact that he was all over Daniel last night himself so maybe he would need a little nudge before Sungwoon can open up. Daniel can do it.

 

When he rings the doorbell, it is a disheveled Taehyun who opens the door.

 

“I take it things didn’t go as planned last night?” Daniel raises an eyebrow and asks.

 

“Shut up.” Taehyun groans. “Why are you here … is that bean sprout soup?”

 

“Yeah, but…” Daniel cannot even finish his sentence before Taehyun snatches the carrier out of his hand, leaving Daniel at the door. “Hyung, it is not for …”

 

By the time Daniel closes the door and catches up to Taehyun, he is already gulping his way down the plastic container.

 

“Ahhhh…” Daniel cries. “I didn’t get it for you.”

  
Taehyun glares up at him, trying to look intimidating despite the fact that there is a stray piece of scallion on his chin.

 

Daniel sighs. “Fine. Enjoy it.”

 

He is seriously contemplating if he should just go to the nearest store and buy another soup when Sungwoon’s bedroom door opens and Sungwoon stumbles out of it, in the same set of clothes Daniel left him in last night. Daniel’s heart immediately does a thump and his stream of thoughts ceases.

 

“Why are you all so noisy this early?” He murmurs, shoving past Daniel in his way towards the bathroom. Daniel could only helplessly look after him.

 

“He’s even crankier than usual,” Taehyun says. “What’d you do to him last night?”

 

“Nothing!” Daniel splutters.

 

Sungwoon comes out the bathroom, face wet with water and stops in front of the table where Taehyun is still demolishing his robbed soup.

 

“Is that bean sprout soup? I want one too.” Sungwoon whines. “Why’d you order only one?”

 

“I didn’t order.” Taehyun answers, his mouth full. “Daniel got me one.”

 

Daniel did not.

 

“I should have got two.” Daniel says dejectedly.

 

“Never mind.” Sungwoon mumbles. “Taehyun, did I give you my wallet yesterday? I can’t find it.”

 

Taehyun points at Daniel. “Ask him. He is the one who brought you home.”

 

“You did?” Sungwoon turns and blinks up at Daniel.

 

“You … don’t remember?” Daniel asks, blindsided. “Like anything at all?”

 

“Bits and pieces.” Sungwoon shrugs. “Did I show you the extra key sets in the riser?”

 

“You did,” Daniel nods. “Your wallet is over there on the sofa.” Daniel points at the sofa where he drops Sungwoon’s wallet last night.

 

“Thanks.” Sungwoon mumbles before taking it and disappearing into his room.

 

So.

 

Sungwoon doesn’t remember. Which is a scenario Daniel doesn’t consider because he was composed enough last night when he was talking.

 

It is ok though. Maybe Daniel can just remind him as long as he can find a good opening. It shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

 

There isn’t much Daniel can do at this state so he just sits and waits while Taehyun showers so that they can go for their class at 2. He is just playing on his phone when Sungwoon comes out again, this time into the kitchen, changed into a simple set of clothes and Daniel wishes he would just stop wearing those goddamn shorts.

 

“Did you leave the Advil bottle for me as well?” Sungwoon asks as he pours himself some orange juice.

 

“Erm, yeah.” Daniel answers.

 

“Thanks,” Sungwoon nods, not making eye contact with him. “Also thank you for, you know, bringing me back as well. Hope I didn’t do anything stupid.”

 

“No,” Daniel says quickly. “No, you didn’t do anything I didn’t want you to do.”

 

Sungwoon lifts his head, staring at Daniel for a while. “Ok.” He says finally, and gives him a real geniue smile, probably the first one Daniel has seen targeted at him, not including the drunken smiles last night.

 

“Yeah, sure.” Daniel says dumbly as Sungwoon disappears back into his room. Daniel must have looked like a damn fool just staring after Sungwoon, but he doesn’t care right now. Sungwoon is initiating a real conversation with him and giving him an actual smile like they are _friends_ now, and that is a step up from where he was initially. Maybe Sungwoon truly doesn’t remember what happens last night or he is just pretending not to because it is awkward for him, but Daniel is really, really sure that Sungwoon likes him back and he can wait until Sungwoon is comfortable enough around him to come to terms with it on his own.

 

He is hoping he doesn’t have to wait for too long though.

 


	2. The End

**_Three Months Later_ **

 

“I don’t want to go,” Sungwoon whines, for the third time in the past hour.

 

“Ok,” Daniel says, settling his arm around Sungwoon’s shoulders. “We can go watch a movie, go shopping, hiking, whatever. What do you want to do?”

 

Sungwoon pouts. “You know I have to go. Taehyun would kill me if I don’t turn up.”

 

Daniel laughs and pats at Sungwoon’s head. “If you know that, why are you whining?”

 

Sungwoon just makes a tsk sound but does not drop the arm around Daniel’s waist.

 

“Anyway, we have like an hour before the party.” Daniel says, checking his watch. “Plenty of time to do … things.” Daniel laughs and wiggles his eyebrows.

 

Sungwoon snorts and slaps him in the chest with his free hand. “The _things_ better be the resume that you have yet to write.”

 

“Uh, come on.” Daniel is the one whining this time. “I still have, what, two or three months left before the intern season starts.”

 

“It’s better to be prepared.” Sungwoon says. He truly is not cute when he turns into this serious adult version. “Plus, if you apply it earlier, you have more chances. C’mon. I’ll help you write it.”

 

Daniel groans, but Sungwoon is pulling at Daniel’s hand with both of his hands clasped around it and smiling up at him, and fine, Daniel loses. Sungwoon is cute whenever.

 

* * *

 

 

“Yo, happy birthday, bro.” Daniel says as soon as Taehyun opens the door with a party hat on his head and two Jello shots in his hand.

 

“Thanks,” Taehyun says and hands them the shot glasses. “You are not allowed to enter without doing the shot.”

 

“It is my house,” Sungwoon snorts from beside him while Daniel, without needing to be told twice, drowns his own shot.

 

“I don’t make the rules, buddy.” Taehyun shrugs.

 

“Except you did.” Sungwoon grunts but takes the shot anyway. “Can I go into my own damn house now?”

 

“All yours,” Taehyun bows and gestures them inside. The place is crawling with people because Taehyun has a social circle the size of their school and Daniel wonders how long it would be before the neighbors complain and the police show up. Last year record was five hours. Maybe they could beat it this year.

 

“Jesus,” Sungwoon mutters. “That cloud of smoke better be a smoke machine and not something on fire!” He yells, drops Daniel’s hand and goes onto investigate the origin of the mysterious smoke coming out from Jaehwan’s bedroom area.

 

“Yo,” Taehyun suddenly comes up next to him, and shoulder checks him gently. “Come with me for a chip run.”

 

“You are the birthday boy. Just have fun.” Daniel says. “I’ll go with Sungwoon hyung.”

 

“Nah, let him be.” Taehyun says. Daniel looks over to see Sungwoon talking rapidly to one of the dance major juniors. Maybe something is indeed _on fire._ “C’mon.”

 

Daniel lets Taehyun drag him out of the house and to the corner store, practically clearing out the whole chip session between the two of them.

 

“You know,” Taehyun starts as they start their walk back. “I really didn’t think Sungwoon likes you back then. Sorry about that.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Daniel laughs. “Even I had my doubt. He was kind of … confusing.”

 

“He’s a good kid though.” Taehyun says, like he is ten, not one, years older than Sungwoon. “Treat him good.”

 

“Is this the part where you threaten to break my legs if I break his heart?” Daniel laughs.

 

“Please,” Taehyun snorts. “He’ll do it himself before I have a chance to.”

 

“Yeah,” Daniel laughs and agrees. “Don’t worry though. I really like him. I’ll be good to him.”

 

Taehyun just shrugs. “Whatever. Not like I care.”

 

Yeah, right. Could have fooled him.

 

* * *

 

 

“Oh thank god.” Jisung says as soon as Daniel drops the multiple plastic bags he was carrying onto the kitchen floor. “You are here.”

 

“Huh? Why?”

 

Jisung wordlessly points to the corner of the living room where Sungwoon is … apparently doing a chicken fight with Jaehwan and from the way his face is flushing and his body is stumbling all over the place, he obviously has had more than a good amount of alcohol.

 

“For fuck’s sake,” Daniel groans. “I was gone for like 40 minutes.”

 

“Well, mathematically speaking,” Jisung says as he follows after Daniel into the living room where Sungwoon has now collapsed onto the floor in a fit of laughter. “It takes less than a minute to do one shot.”

 

“Not helping!” Daniel mutters back as he reaches to Sungwoon and helps him get back up. “Seriously, dude?”

 

“Daniel!” Jaehwan shouts. “We are doing chicken fight. Loser spins 10 times and does 1 shot. Your boyfriend sucks at chicken fight by the way”

 

“Jesus Christ,” Daniel murmurs. “No wonder.”

 

“Hi. Hello.” Sungwoon mumbles, headbutting into Daniel’s chest.

 

“You alright?” Daniel grips at his shoulders and bends down to look him in the eyes.

 

“Oh,” Sungwoon says, bleary eyes focused on Daniel’s face. “Oh. Wow.” He says again, reaching out to pat Daniel on the cheek. “Are you seeing somebody? Do you want to date me?”

 

“Erm,” Daniel mutters as Jisung lets out a snort next to him.

 

“No, no, wait.” Sungwoon says in complete horror. “I have a boyfriend. Oh my god. How could I forget?”

 

“Right,” Daniel nods as Sungwoon looks around the room frantically, as if trying to find _the_ boyfriend. “C’mon. Let’s get you some fresh air. Or a stomach pump.”

 

“No, wait. My boyfriend.” Sungwoon grips at Daniel’s shirt collar and says. “Have you seen him? He’s like this tall.” He says and pats at the crown of Daniel’s head. “And like handsome. I mean, you are handsome too, but he is more handsome, like, really, really good-looking.”

 

“Does anyone has a working phone?” Taehyun shouts from somewhere in the behind vicinity. “My phone is dead and I need to be filming this.”

 

“I am taking him back to my place, hyung.” Daniel says, dragging Sungwoon along with him.

 

“I am not getting sexiled from my own damn room, Daniel!” Seongwoo shouts from where he is standing in front of the TV and doing a perfect squat for his Just Dance competition.

 

“Then don’t come back.” Daniel laughs and shouts back. Seongwoo just throws up a middle finger without even looking at him.

 

“Daniel.” Sungwoon groans.

 

“Hmm?” Daniel asks, helping him put on his sneakers.

 

“Hmm?” Sungwoon says back. “Daniel. That’s my boyfriend’s name.”

 

“Good to know.” Daniel chuckles, and pulls him out of the door.

 

* * *

 

 

Sungwoon pukes for about a good three times and insists on sleeping with his face over the toilet bowl until Daniel carries him fireman style and puts him in bed.

 

Sungwoon wakes up at around 2 in the morning with a groan while Daniel is still playing Overwatch. Daniel wordlessly hands him the prepared water bottle and an Advil tablet that Sungwoon immediately swallows.

 

“Sorry,” Sungwoon says after he looks like he has gathered up himself. “When did we even leave?”

 

“Like an hour after we arrived.” Daniel laughs.

 

Sungwoon groans. “I am sorry. You keep having to take care of me.”

 

Daniel laughs, and shuts down his laptop. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not like you are getting drunk every other week.”

 

“No, that’d be you.” Sungwoon snorts.

 

“Please. When did I ever get this badly drunk?” Daniel says and sits down on the bed next to Sungwoon.

 

“Sorry,” Sungwoon says again with a pout as Daniel pulls him to lie down next to him.

 

“It’s ok,” Daniel replies. “Not your fault I have a strong liver and you have the alcohol tolerance of a cat.”

 

“I am never drinking again,” Sungwoon groans. “Next time I go anywhere near any kind of alcohol, tie me up or something.”

 

“Ooh, kinky.” Daniel smirks and Sungwoon tweaks his ear.

 

“You could have just put me into my bed.” Sungwoon says. “And enjoy the party. I’d be fine.”

 

“I’m pretty sure there were at least 20 people inside your room,” Daniel says and Sungwoon grimaces. “Plus, you cling to anyone around you when you are drunk. How can I leave you alone?”

 

“Shut up,” Sungwoon says, slapping Daniel on the chest. “That was like one time.”

 

“And you were saying to my face last night that you have a boyfriend who is more handsome than me.” Daniel says and narrows his eyes. “Where and who is this boyfriend?”

 

Sungwoon lets out a shocked giggle. “Did I really?”

 

“Yes. First, you asked me if I want to date you and then, you told me your boyfriend is better looking than me. I am not sure if I am supposed to be happy or angry.”

 

“It is true that my boyfriend is better looking than anyone else though.” Sungwoon gives him a gummy smile and leans in to kiss Daniel on the side of the cheek, but when Daniel turns to catch his lips, he pulls away.

 

“My mouth is gross right now. Feel like something decomposes in it.”

 

“Ew,” Daniel wrinkles his nose.

 

“Hang on.” Sungwoon says, getting himself up and leaving Daniel with a cold spot in place of his warm body. “I am gonna go brush my teeth.”

 

Sungwoon goes into the attached bathroom, and Daniel cannot believe he is actually happy at the thought of Sungwoon using that spare toothbrush he has left behind a couple of weeks back. The fact that Sungwoon has a toothbrush here like he belongs here (no matter how much Seongwoo complains) somehow makes things more real. Daniel really does have Sungwoon now.

 

Sungwoon comes back out a couple of minutes later, switching off the lights on his way back and pushes his way in next to Daniel. Daniel opens up his arms wide before wrapping them around Sungwoon and pulling him in so they are nose to nose.

 

“All done?” Daniel asks, and Sungwoon grins before leaning in and blowing a stream of air into Daniel’s face, smelling like mint and mouthwash. Daniel laughs before putting a hand on Sungwoon’s face and pulling his lips in between his own.

 

“At least you sobered up quickly this time.” Daniel says after they pull away, tracing his fingers over Sungwoon’s eyelids that are fluttered closed. “Plus, we wouldn’t be able to do this if we didn’t leave early. I’m sure there are at least 10 people crashing at your place.”

 

“Hmm,” Sungwoon says, eyes opening slowly and mouth flushing red. “Your bed is too small though.” He says, as if he isn’t the one who has been running his hands all over Daniel’s back underneath his sweatshirt.

 

“We’ll improvise.” Daniel says, kicking the blankets and a few extra pillows onto the floor. “I’ll just have to hold you tighter.”

 

Sungwoon grunts, shifts and pulls at Daniel until Daniel is on top of him, legs on both side and essentially trapping Sungwoon inside.

 

Sungwoon lets out a sigh, hands creeping up to Daniel’s neck.

 

“You alright, babe?” Daniel asks, staring at Sungwoon who is looking back at him with eyes that are shining even in the dim yellowish street light filtering through the blinds.

 

“Yeah, just.” Sungwoon smiles. “Happy, I guess.”

 

“Yeah?” Daniel laughs and leans in to kiss him again. “Me too.”

 

* * *

 

 

Daniel’s life is mostly full of constants.

 

And one of them is that he likes Sungwoon. A lot.

 

And Sungwoon likes him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, unbeta'ed and mistakes are my own.


End file.
